&#34;All Ball&#34; complete strength, cardiovascular, body building exercise machine

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to an exercising apparatus including a rotatable ball, a handlebar, first and second clutches and a tension adjustor. The rotatable ball has an external surface. The handlebar passes through the ball and has two ends extending outwardly from the surface of the ball to provide handle grips. The first and second clutches support the ball. The tension adjustor is connected to the clutches.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable.

JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable.

MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an exercising apparatus. More particularly,the invention relates to an exercising apparatus for cardiovascular orbody building exercises.

B. Description of Related Art

Various exercising apparatus can be found in the market for fitness andbody building purposes. Utilisation of these exercising apparatushowever typically involve at least one of the following for the user toachieve the desired results:

1. addition or removal of weights;

2. demounting and mounting of the apparatus in order to add or removeweights;

3. provision and adjustment of straps or other fastening means.

As such, these exercising apparatus are cumbersome and fiddly to handle.It is an object of this invention to provide an exercising apparatuswhich involves easy and simple adjustments to enable a user to perform awide range of strength and cardiovascular exercises.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided an exercisingapparatus including:

-   -   a rotatable ball having an external surface;    -   a handlebar passing through the ball and having two ends        extending outwardly from the surface of the ball to provide        handle grips;    -   first and second clutches supporting the ball; and    -   a tension adjustor connected to the clutches.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of an exercising apparatus in accordance with thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial front view of the exercising apparatus of FIG. 1showing a pair of clutches mounted on a ball with a handle bar.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line E-E shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the ball supported by the clutches of theexercising apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the exercising apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the exercising apparatus of FIG. 1 including aplatform.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, an exercising apparatus 10 includes a rotatableball 12, a handlebar 16, two clutches 26 and 28, and a tension adjustor30.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the rotatable ball 12 is a sphere with anexternal curved surface 14. As best shown in FIG. 3, the handlebar 16passes through the ball 12 and has two ends 18 and 20 extendingoutwardly from the surface 14 of the ball 12 to provide handle grips 22and 24.

Turning to FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the clutches 26 and 28 is in the formof a ring encircling and supporting the ball 12. Each of the clutches 26and 28 is connected to a flexible adaptor plate 40. The adaptor plate 40functions as a bridging means maintaining both clutches 26 and 28 atdesired positions. As best shown in FIG. 3, the ball 12 is not fixed tothe clutches 26 and 28. Hence the ball 12 is capable of makingmulti-directional rotational movement with respect to the clutches 26and 28.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the handlebar 16 passes through the centre 32of the ball 12 and extends outwardly from the surface 14 of the ball 12.The handlebar 16 includes two cir-clips 34 and 36 provided at the twoends of the handlebar 16, respectively. Each cir-clip 34, 36 abuts thesurface 14 of the ball 12 so as to maintain the handlebar 16 in a fixedposition with respect to the ball 12.

In operation, the handlebar 16 is used to effect multi-directionalmovement of the ball 12. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, for example, thehandlebar is capable of being moved back and forth (as indicated byarrow F in FIG. 6) between angle α (see FIG. 6), up and down (asindicated by arrow B in FIG. 5) between angle ⊖ (see FIG. 1), and in anorbit clockwise or anticlockwise (as indicated by arrow A in FIG. 5). Itwill be appreciated that the ball is capable of being rotated in anydirections in addition to those illustrated and described herein.

As best shown in FIG. 3, each clutch 34, 36 is clad with thick cottoncloth 38. The two clutches 26 and 28 are spaced apart and configured tomake contact with the surface 14 of the ball 12. In use, the ball 12experiences resistance when rotating due to friction between the cottoncloth 38 and the surface 14 of the ball 12.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, the tension adjustor 30 is connected to theclutches 26 and 28. The tension adjustor 30 involves an adjustingmechanism for biasing the clutches 26 and 28 towards one another. Thetension adjustor 30 operates in conjunction with the plates 42 and 44which are welded to the clutches 26 and 28, respectively. The tensionadjustor 30 includes a threaded bolt 46 and a nut 48. The threaded bolt46 has one end encased in a knob 50 which abuts the plate 44. The nut 48is internally threaded and welded to the plate 42. With such anarrangement, turning of the knob 50 by the user causes displacement ofthe clutch 26 in a forward or reverse direction, as indicated by arrowsC and D in FIG. 1. In fact, clutch 28 may also move leaning towardsclutch 26 as a result of turning of the knob 50. This results in theclutches 26 and 28 being drawn closer to one another in biased positionsor forced apart in neutral positions. When the clutches 26 and 28 are inthe biased positions, a larger resistance will be experienced by theuser when rotating the ball 12 with the handlebar 16. Conversely, whenthe clutches 26 and 28 are in the neutral positions, the resistance willbe relatively lower.

As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the exercising apparatus 10 has ananchoring pillar 52 having one end affixed to the underside of theflexible adaptor plate 40 and another end connected to a steel pipeframe 54. The steel pipe frame 54 is mounted on a platform 56 which inturn rests on a base 58. The base 58 has extensions covered by plasticpipe plugs 60.

It is intended that the exercising apparatus 10 is anchored to the floorby the weight of the user who can stand on the platform 56 or sit on abench 61 which is movably rested on the platform 56.

The exercising apparatus of the present invention may offer at least thefollowing advantages:

1. it enables the user to exercise different parts of the upper body intraining;

2. it is easy to use and adjust for achieving different desired trainingresults;

3. the ball capable of rotating multi-directionally facilitates a vastnumber of exercise options and orientations; and

4. it solves the problem of limited muscle training and enables targetedmuscle training.

1-5. (canceled)
 6. An exercising apparatus comprising: a rotatable ballhaving an external surface; a handlebar passing through the ball andhaving two ends extending outwardly from the surface of the ball toprovide handle grips; first and second clutches supporting the ball; anda tension adjustor connected to the clutches.
 7. The exercisingapparatus of claim 6, wherein the ball is spherical.
 8. The exercisingapparatus of claim 6, wherein the ball is not fixed to the clutches suchthat the ball is capable of making multi-directional rotationalmovement.
 9. The exercising apparatus of claim 6, wherein the handlebarextends outwardly from the surface of the ball.
 10. The exercisingapparatus of claim 6, wherein the handlebar passes through the center ofthe ball.
 11. The exercising apparatus of claim 6, wherein the handlebaris adapted to effect multi-directional movement of the ball.
 12. Theexercising apparatus of claim 6, wherein the handlebar is capable ofbeing moved back and forth, up and down, and in an orbit clockwise oranticlockwise.
 13. The exercising apparatus of claim 6, wherein eachclutch is clad with cotton cloth.
 14. The exercising apparatus of claim6, wherein the two clutches are spaced apart and configured to makecontact with the surface of the ball.
 15. The exercising apparatus ofclaim 6, wherein the tension adjustor involves an adjusting mechanismfor biasing the clutches towards one another.
 16. The exercisingapparatus of claim 6, wherein the tension adjustor operates inconjunction with first and second plates which are welded to the firstand second clutches, respectively.
 17. The exercising apparatus of claim6, wherein the tension adjustor includes a threaded bolt and a nut. 18.The exercising apparatus of claim 17, wherein the threaded bolt has oneend encased in a knob adapted to abut the first plate.
 19. Theexercising apparatus of claim 17, wherein the nut is internally threadedand welded to the second plate.
 20. The exercising apparatus of claim18, wherein turning of the knob causes displacement of at least one ofthe clutches in a forward or reverse direction.
 21. The exercisingapparatus of claim 18, wherein turning of the knob draws the clutchescloser to one another in biased positions or forces the clutches apartin neutral positions.
 22. The exercising apparatus of claim 20, whereinwhen the clutches are in the biased positions, a larger resistance isexperienced in rotating the ball whereas when the clutches are in theneutral positions, the resistance is relatively lower.
 23. Theexercising apparatus of claim 6, which includes an anchoring pillar. 24.The exercising apparatus of claim 23 wherein the anchoring pillar hasone end affixed to the flexible adaptor plate and another end connectedto a steel pipe frame.
 25. The exercising apparatus of claim 24, whereinthe steel pipe frame is mounted on a platform.
 26. The exercisingapparatus of claim 25, wherein the platform rests on a base havingextensions covered by plastic pipe plugs.
 27. The exercising apparatusof claim 25, which, in use, is anchored to a floor by the weight of auser standing on the platform or sitting on a bench.
 28. The exercisingapparatus of claim 27, wherein the bench is movably rested on theplatform.